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BIO
Steve Berry lives on the Georgia coast in Camden County. He's a lawyer who, for twenty-five years, has helped people both in and out of the courtroom. He's also active in local politics, having served on the Camden County Board of Education and, currently, he is one of five members of the Camden County Board of Commissioners.
Steve has been writing since 1990. In 2000 and 2001 he won the Georgia State Bar fiction writing contest and his two short stories appeared in the Georgia State Bar Journal. He also tried his hand at novel contests. An early version of his first published novel, THE AMBER ROOM, placed third at the 1998 Florida First Coast Writers Festival.
Though his undergraduate degree was in political science, and he was trained as a lawyer, it was Steve's interest in history that led to him writing international suspense thrillers. He also credits the nuns who taught him in elementary school with instilling the discipline needed to both craft a novel, then sell it to a publisher. It took Steve 12 years --- 85 rejections over 5 different manuscripts --- before Ballantine Books bought a manuscript.
Steve's wife, Amy, accompanies him on all his trips and snapped the photo of Steve that appears on the cover of both novels. Together, they have spent time in the Caribbean, Mexico, Germany, Austria, England, Russia, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, France, and Denmark. While researching THE AMBER ROOM and THE ROMANOV PROPHECY, Steve visited Germany, Austria, and Russia.
Visit the author's Web site at www.steveberry.org.
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INTERVIEW
 December 14, 2007
Steve Berry's latest installment in the Cotton Malone series, THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL, finds the former U.S. Justice Department agent turned rare-book dealer in search of one of history's greatest unsolved mysteries: the location of Alexander the Great's final resting place. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, Berry talks about what drew him to this compelling figure as the subject of his sixth book and discusses his fascination with lost objects of antiquity. He also explains how he balances fact and fiction in these historically-based novels and gives insight into what may be in store next for Cotton and company.
Bookreporter.com: Your new novel, THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL, concerns two intertwined mysteries: the lost tomb of Alexander the Great --- a real-world puzzle that remains unsolved to this day --- and a mystery of your own invention involving a formula for a mysterious draught with the ability to cure conditions and illnesses that otherwise would be fatal. What initially caused you to become interested in Alexander? And how did you develop the idea for the draught?
Steve Berry: Here’s a man who conquered the known world in 12 years, from age 21 to 33. What a story of success. He walked his army 23,000 miles into totally unknown terrain and won it all. Yet, he was also terribly flawed and inexplicably driven. Eventually, his army revolted and he had to stop. But, along the way, he changed the course of human history. He was a Greek who became a Persian; the first man of the world; a purveyor of culture that allowed East and West --- for the first time --- to mingle.
Alexander’s political and historical legacy, though, continues to be a matter of intense debate. Was he a wise visionary or a reckless, bloody conqueror? Many books have been written on this subject, but the best is Peter Green’s ALEXANDER OF MACEDON 356-323 B. C.: A Historical Biography. Green’s thoughtful study makes clear that Alexander spent his entire life, with legendary success, in pursuit of nothing but personal glory. And though the empire he fought so hard to create collapsed the moment he was gone, his legend lives on. Proof of this immortality can be seen in the belief he has long inspired in others. To Peter Green, Alexander is an enigma whose greatness simply defies any final judgment. He personifies an archetype --- restless and perennial, the embodiment of an eternal quest, a personality that has grown greater than the measurable sum of his impressive works. In the end, Alexander himself said it best: "Toil and risk are the price of glory, but it is a lovely thing to live with courage and die leaving an everlasting fame."
As for the draught, that is entirely my concoction, though Alexander’s actual death remains one of the great historical mysteries. Of course, viruses and bacteria that prey on other viruses are real. I simply adapted one of those to this tale.
BRC: THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL sends Cotton Malone on another exciting and globe-trotting race against time in Denmark, the Pamir Mountains in Central Asia, and of course, Venice. Of those three locations, the inclusion of Central Asia as a locale --- and its formation into the Central Asian Federation --- is an unexpected one. Did you visit Central Asia while you were researching the book? If so, what can you share about your visit?
SB: Unfortunately, no, but I would love to go. After reading so much about the region, I’m now enthralled. Unfortunately, many of the dangers and political corruption described in the story exist in real life, so travel to that part of the world is a challenge, at best. But that’s never stopped me. I’m sure I’ll make it there one day. My hope is that readers will likewise become fascinated with the region and want to visit too. That’s one objective I strive for --- to interest readers in new and different places, as those places interest me. Central Asia is particularly fascinating --- it sits directly between Europe, Asia, Russia and India; it is a focal point and has been a battleground for centuries. It possesses enormous natural resources. If the region unified, it could easily become a potent political force.
BRC: On a related note, the so-called game of buzkashi, indigenous to that region as well as to Afghanistan and Pakistan, is interesting. P.J. O’Rourke has described the game as a metaphor for Afghani politics, and your description of it in THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL would seem to confirm this. Did you have the opportunity to see the sport being played, and what were your impressions when you watched it?
SB: What an experience that would be. Can you imagine? A goat is slaughtered, its extremities hacked off, the carcass soaked in cold water for a day. Then, men on horseback fight like hell over the body, trying to toss it in a lime circle on the ground. What would animal rights groups do with that one? But, as with central Asia, I learned about buzkashi vicariously through written accounts and Internet pictures. When I first heard of it, I was instantly intrigued and thought the game would provide an excellent way to illustrate the brutality of Irina Zovastina. Clearly, watching buzkashi is not for the faint of heart. I read many accounts from U.S. military personnel who both watched and participated, and all agree that it is an intense experience that is unique in the world. Severe injury and death are, indeed, common occurrences. And Rourke’s metaphor is quite apt.
BRC: While Alexander's draught was your creation rather than antiquity’s, I’m curious as to whether you believe that it, or something like it --- say The Fountain of Youth --- truly exists and is waiting to be rediscovered. Can you comment?
SB: That, of course, is impossible to say but what an intriguing possibility. Just as Troy was once thought mythical and non-existent (we now know that city to be real), there are surely many more secrets out there waiting to be discovered. The search for what was thought lost is a central theme in all of my books. The Amber Room, lost Romanov heirs, the third secret of Fatima, Templar treasure, the library of Alexandria, and now the tomb of Alexander the Great --- each of these has been central to my novels. But --- just as in real life --- for me, learning about these treasures is becoming harder and harder; thankfully, I have ideas for at least the next three or four years.
BRC: The close of THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL indicates that there may be at least one major change in Cotton Malone’s future. What can you share with us that you have planned for him in the next books?
SB: The 2008 story will be quite personal and emotionally intense for Malone. I’m writing it now. There are definitely some changes coming for him. I think that’s important; characters need to change. Just as in life, in fiction, nothing ever stays the same.
BRC: I find Henrik Thorvaldsen to be one of the more fascinating characters in your Cotton Malone novels. In THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL, he is even more interesting than Malone himself in some ways. Will you be doing more with Thorvaldsen --- revealing more about him or perhaps even featuring him in a novel of his own --- in the future?
SB: There is book coming that will focus heavily on Thorvaldsen, just as THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL focuses on Cassiopia. We need to know more about his son and what happened when he was killed. Thorvaldsen totes a heavy load because of his son’s death. When I initially created these characters in THE TEMPLAR LEGACY, I needed someone Malone could relate to, someone he respected and yet was also wary of. Thorvaldsen is a clever soul, though sometimes he can be too clever for his own good. Ballantine Books has signed me for three more novels starting in 2009, so readers are definitely going to learn more about Henrik Thorvaldsen.
BRC: As you freely indicate in your Author’s Note at the conclusion of THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL, there are some elements of history that you leave intact, some that you change and some that you create. What sort of process do you go through while deciding what to change and what to leave intact? Do you find, more often than not, that historical events are more unusual, and more interesting, than fiction?
SB: No question, truth is many times stranger than fiction. Some of the best plot twists in my stories are based on real events and real things. But I have to keep in mind that I’m writing a novel, not a textbook, whose primary objective is to entertain. So, I’m allowed to play games with reality. During my research, which takes 18 months from start to finish, I amass countless pieces of information. I study around 100-200 sources for each novel. Modifying and adapting facts are simply part of the creative process. But I try to keep it as real as possible and I always include a writer's note at the end that lets the reader know where I played games with the truth. That’s important. But don’t read that writer’s note first. It will give away the entire plot.
BRC: Out of curiosity, how does Cotton Malone’s bookstore stay in business whenever he suddenly disappears for days at a time? Who is minding the store while he’s gone?
SB: He has employees. They were mentioned in THE TEMPLAR LEGACY, but perhaps you’re right --- maybe they need another mention or two.
BRC: Given the complexity of the concepts of your novels and the demanding amount of research you put into them, it would seem that you could only work on one novel at a time. Is that the case? And do you maintain a list, or library, of subjects for future novels?
SB: I wish I could work on only one book at a time. That would be a luxury I’ve never been afforded. With a-book-a-year schedule, you always have 3 books in your head. This year is a good example. I was editing and preparing THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL for publication; actively writing the 2008 manuscript; and plotting and researching the 2009 story in anticipation of starting writing in February 2008. Keeping it all straight is just a matter of organization. I also have an idea box in which I toss articles, clippings and notes for future books. I go in and out of that box all the time. Oh, and by the way, I still practice law and serve on the Camden County Board of Commissioners.
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INTERVIEW
 February 2, 2007
International bestselling author Steve Berry has made a name for himself writing thrillers based on unsolved historical mysteries, such as the true fates of Russia's last tzar in THE ROMANOV PROPHECY and the Knights Templar in THE TEMPLAR LEGACY. His latest novel, THE ALEXANDRIA LINK, revolves around the disappearance of the largest library in the ancient world. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, Berry describes what first ignited his interest on the subject and shares theories behind the organization's unusual vanishing. He also discusses the advantages of writing a series with recurring characters, names some of the authors who have influenced his writing, and explains how penning novels has relieved the pressures of his "day job."
Bookreporter.com: What drew you to want to write a book with the Library of Alexandria, a repository of ancient knowledge that mysteriously vanished over a millennium ago, as its storyline?
Steve Berry: It was the grandest collection of knowledge in the ancient world: part university, laboratory, research institute and zoo. An impressive complex of buildings and gardens (situated in two separate locations), resembling a Greek temple, each with richly decorated lecture and banquet halls linked by colonnaded walks. Founded in the fourth century B.C.E., it lasted for 600 years, staffed by Greek scientists, philosophers, artists, writers and scholars, and containing a vast collection, over 700,000 scrolls and papyri. If any book was found aboard a ship that visited Alexandria, the law required it to be taken to the library and copied. And all that disappeared. Without a trace. What could be more fascinating? The perfect subject for a thriller. I've had an interest in the Library of Alexandria for years. Libraries themselves are fascinating. I currently serve as chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Camden County library, so the institutions have a near and dear place in my heart.
BRC: THE ALEXANDRIA LINK puts forth one proposition as to the fate of the Library. Based on your own research, what do you think happened to it?
SB: There are three theories. One version holds that it burned when Julius Caesar fought Ptolemy XIII in 48 B.C.E. Caesar ordered the torching of the royal fleet, but the fire spread throughout the city and may have consumed the library. Another version blamed Christians who supposedly destroyed both the main library in 272 c.e. and the secondary one, in the Serapeum, in 391 --- part of their effort to rid the city of all pagan influences. A final account credited Arabs with the library's destruction after they conquered Alexandria in 642. The caliph Omar, when asked about books in the imperial treasury, was quoted as saying, "If what is written agrees with the Book of God, they are not required. If it disagrees, they are not desired. Destroy them." So for six months, scrolls supposedly fueled the baths of Alexandria. But no one knows which version is true. The more likely explanation is that, as Egypt was confronted with growing unrest and foreign aggression, the library simply became victim to persecution, mob violence and military occupation, no longer enjoying special privileges. As with so much that man creates, it simply faded away.
BRC: Is there one story that you can share with us about researching THE ALEXANDRIA LINK?
SB: Its inception was particularly special. In 2004, I was at an event in Camden, South Carolina, promoting THE ROMANOV PROPHECY, when the husband of my hostess asked if I'd ever heard of a man named Kamal Salibi. When I said no, he told me about three books Salibi had written, beginning in the late 1980s. Intrigued, we went back to his house and he showed me the books. I asked if I could borrow them and he graciously agreed. Though it was late and my mind was tired, that little voice inside my head was screaming, "There's a thriller here somewhere," and the voice was right. Three years later, that story materialized when I started writing THE ALEXANDRIA LINK. Recently, I went back to Camden and brought Ken one of the first editions of THE ALEXANDRIA LINK. Ideas truly do come at the strangest and most unexpected times.
BRC: What we loved about this book is that both the plot and the characters are fully developed and strong. Did you find that writing your second Cotton book was interesting as you were able to flesh out his character and relationships more thoroughly for readers?
SB: I did. But here's the rub: You can't assume readers of this book will have read THE TEMPLAR LEGACY (where Cotton is first introduced), so there's a certain amount of character development that has to be included with this new story. What recurring characters offer, though, is an ability to grow. Readers can learn more about their personalities as they face differing situations. Like old friends, the more you see them, the more you know about them. That's different from my first three novels, THE AMBER ROOM, THE ROMANOV PROPHECY and THE THIRD SECRET, which were all stand-alones. Cotton, himself, is a conflicted soul. He worked for the government as a Justice Department agent, but opted out early, tired of the risks. He has an ex-wife, a 15-year-old son, and problems we all experience everyday. He's the first character I've created with a lot of me in him. He talks, acts and thinks in many ways like me, though I wish I had as exciting a life as he gets to live.
BRC: The breadth of THE ALEXANDRIA LINK, both in terms of subject matter and locations, is breathtaking. How long did it take you from conceptualizing the book to completing the finished manuscript? Did it take longer than your previous novels? And can you walk us a bit through your timeline on this project --- research, writing, first draft, etc.?
SB: This one was normal --- about 18 months from first thought to finished manuscript, which includes 12 months of solid writing. I always start researching the next book while still working on the current one. I began the actual writing of THE ALEXANDRIA LINK in May 2005 and turned in the completed manuscript in June 2006. I constantly researched along the way, and I traveled to Portugal for some specific research on the abbey at Belem, which figures prominently in the story.
BRC: While THE ALEXANDRIA LINK is primarily a thriller, it contains numerous elements that pay homage to the mystery genre and provide an additional basis for the many suspenseful underpinnings of the story. Are there any specific mystery writers, either traditional or contemporary, who have influenced your work?
SB: David Morrell is, to me, the best thriller writer alive today. I learn so much from his books. He teaches me about story, craft and technique. In years past, I read his books like textbooks and I encourage all writers to check him out. Nobody does high concept better than Clive Cussler. I studied him closely to see how to meld many differing plot elements into a cohesive story. Of course, masters such as Ken Follett, Robert Ludlum and Frederick Forsyth taught me things, too, about suspense. THE DA VINCI CODE is a wonderful study in pacing, as is Allan Folsom's first book, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. You can learn so much from other writers.
BRC: THE ALEXANDRIA LINK is the second of your Cotton Malone novels. Your first three published works, on the other hand, were self-contained. We have heard that the next title is another Cotton Malone story. What can you share with us about this next book?
SB: Cotton Malone and his supporting cast of characters will return in 2008 for another adventure. I'm writing that book now, which will take Cassiopeia and Cotton into central Asia in search of another ancient artifact, one that's held my interest for many years. (How's that for being vague?)
BRC: Each of your novels has been based upon an unsolved historical mystery. Have you had any ideas for novels where you ran into a brick wall, in terms of access to research, and had to abandon --- however temporarily --- that idea in favor of another?
SB: Many times. THE ALEXANDRIA LINK started off much different than the finished product. A writer has to be flexible --- always prepared to abandon what's not working. I struggle with this on every novel, and it doesn't get any easier. I've found that rarely is the finished book even close to the original plot conception. This is the kind of thing that drives writers nuts.
BRC: You still have a full-time law practice. What made you decide to turn to writing as a vocation? What's the best part of writing, as opposed to the practice of law, as a vocation? And what is the worst part?
SB: I started writing international suspense thrillers as a way to escape the difficulties encountered in the practice of law. People come to lawyers for one reason, they have a problem (which is usually major), and it's the lawyer's job to solve it. That's a lot of pressure. You generally see people at their worst. So writing, for me, was an escape. For a few hours each morning I could journey off to a faraway place on an exciting adventure. But I also knew that I wanted to write for a New York house --- be a commercial fiction writer --- someone who entertained people with his stories. The best part, for me, is when someone likes my story. That's the finest compliment a reader can bestow. The worst part? When it fails. And it's that fear that keeps us sharp.
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INTERVIEW
 April 28, 2006
Amidst the current popularity of religious-themed fiction, two novels --- THE LAST TEMPLAR and THE TEMPLAR LEGACY --- have both become international bestsellers. The authors of these two books, Raymond Khoury and Steve Berry, spoke with Bookreporter.com's Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub and Wiley Saichek about the appeal of speculative history novels, as well as the sheer coincidence of simultaneously writing and publishing thrillers on similar topics. They also discuss the challenges of researching and accurately portraying the past, and share their thoughts on Dan Brown's recent court case.
Bookreporter.com: When did you each become aware that the other was writing a book involving the Templars?
Raymond Khoury: Almost exactly a year ago, when my agents were sending out the manuscript of THE LAST TEMPLAR to publishers here in London, they also showed it to a couple of publishers in New York, and the editor at Ballantine came back saying this was most certainly his kind of book, but that it was too close in topic and spirit --- though not in story --- to a new work by one of his favorite authors, Steve Berry. This kind of terrified me, as I quickly discovered Steve was a well-established, bestselling author. I finally got hold of a copy a few weeks ago and took it on holiday with me over Easter, reading it on a remote island in the Maldives --- and loved it.
Steve Berry: I first became aware of Raymond's book last fall. THE TEMPLAR LEGACY was turned in, finished, and in production at Ballantine when my editor called and told me about THE LAST TEMPLAR. He then sent me an advanced readers copy and I read it. Always good to check out the competition.
BRC: Have you met or corresponded?
SB: When Raymond debuted at #5 on the New York Times list, I emailed his publicist with congratulations. They forwarded my note to him and we've been emailing ever since. Since we've stayed side by side on nearly all the bestseller lists, it was fun ribbing each other. It seemed like a way for both of us to relieve the anxiety the experience was generating. He even sent me a cheesy photo of him at the beach with my book.
RK: It was great to receive Steve's congratulatory email when my book hit the New York Times list. It's not the kind of email I'd ever gotten from anyone in the film world! We knew it was looking good, but getting on that list wasn't something I was expecting to get on the first week out. It was great to share the weekly NYT bestsellers list panic and the curse of increased expectations with someone who was feeling the same thing --- and, amazingly, with two books that were directly related. We've been emailing ever since. It's actually pretty amazing to think that we were both inspired to write books that have so much in common thematically, and yet are so different story-wise. They were written at widely different stages of our lives, at different times, and in different continents, and yet they have come out within weeks of each other and sit on the same bestseller lists. Talk about synchronicity... It's truly a unique experience, and it's been a blast.
BRC: What was the impetus for you to write a novel based upon the 13th century and the Templars? Have you always been interested in this period of history? When did you first become interested in it?
SB: I've always been interested in the Templars and Rennes-le-Chateau is likewise fascinating. When I was searching for a new idea in 2003, this story came to mind. But I wanted to portray the Templars accurately, not as Hollywood stereotypes. Of course, some liberties have to be taken to keep the plot moving, but I wanted readers to understand what the Templars actually were. We need to get away from the Holy Grail and fantasy aspects of their existence. They were, in fact, a remarkable organization that was way ahead of their time, creating many concepts that we take for granted today.
RK: It all happened purely by chance. Back in 1996, I'd written two screenplays that were kind of small and personal, and I felt like writing something bigger and more epic. I visited friends in Fontainebleau in France, thinking about what to write next, and one of them was a history buff and told me about the Templars. I didn't know anything about them at the time, but they're a huge deal in France --- a big part of its history and its lore. As I read up about them that weekend, it quickly became obvious to me that this was an exceptional group of people who played a pivotal role in something that still resonates today, and their legends were great fodder for fiction. A year and a half later, I had my screenplay, which eventually became this novel.
BRC: What do you think it is about speculative history novels that are striking a chord with readers? Why do you think that THE TEMPLAR LEGACY and THE LAST TEMPLAR have resonated so strongly with readers?
RK: The appeal of the genre is easy to explain: page-turning thrillers with a lot of interesting information to discover, the secrets of the past, myths and legends... It's interesting, it's epic, and it's entertaining --- and it makes a change from serial killers and forensics. Dan Brown's success obviously made people aware of the genre, much like John Grisham's THE FIRM put the whole legal thriller genre on the map 15 years ago. I do think the novels that have resonated particularly strongly, though, are those that deal with religion and --- more specifically --- the hidden history (or possible hidden history) of the Catholic Church. This is more a reflection of our times, when religion is back on the front pages in a big way.
SB: Readers enjoy the mixture of history, secrets, conspiracy, action, and exotic settings. All four of my thrillers, THE AMBER ROOM, THE ROMANOV PROPHECY, THE THIRD SECRET and THE TEMPLAR LEGACY, are just that ---- international suspense thrillers --- and there's nothing new about the concept. It's been around for 60-plus years. What's happened over the past three years is that the genre is once again popular. Thank goodness. That's what I like to read and write.
BRC: Do you find that reactions to your respective novels vary from country to country? Is there a wide variance of opinion regarding your work even within a country?
RK: I haven't really seen a difference in reaction across borders. It's kind of hard to judge, though, given that my sampling is limited to the anecdotal evidence or the reviews and comments of a few people, which isn't really significant when a book is selling --- and continues to sell --- hundreds of thousands of copies. I've been fortunate enough to have my book find an audience in every country it's been published, so I guess the interest in the subject matter and the reactions to the book are pretty universal right now, which is amazing.
SB: My four thrillers are now published in 34 countries and 31 languages, and I receive emails daily from around the world. It's particularly gratifying for me to hear from readers in India, Tasmania, Indonesia, and China who have read my stories and like them. I've seen no real variance in opinions, but they do enjoy pointing out any errors I made in language and locations. But that's okay. I don't mind. I want to get it right. Even Raymond himself sent me one of those emails. He says my French needs work. He offered to fix the errors, and I told him to go for it.
BRC: Both THE TEMPLAR LEGACY and THE LAST TEMPLAR mention, in areas other than the novel itself, the quote of Pope Leo X, "It has served us well, this myth of Christ." Personally, how do you feel about this quote? Were you raised in a traditional Christian faith? What sort of reaction have you received from Christian readers of your respective novels?
SB: This quote appears all over the place. I've received about 15 emails from readers who tell me that I have it absolutely wrong and they have provided me the "correct" quote. Here's the problem. All 15 give me different wording. None of them agree. So who knows? Leo X was probably the most corrupt man to ever serve as pope, so him saying something like this would not be out of character. Was it said? We'll never know, but it makes for great fiction. I was born, raised, and educated Catholic. Altar boy and all that stuff. The religion fascinates me, though I no longer actively practice it.
RK: The quote is infamous, and obviously, we'll never really know what the truth about it is. All of history is open to interpretation and conjecture, which is the basis of the novel: what can we believe about events that happened hundreds, even thousands, of years ago? Even today, with everything that's available to record events, you can still find widely conflicting accounts about pretty much anything you choose. This is great for fiction writers --- those "what ifs are what feeds our imagination. Personally, I wasn't raised in a particularly religious family, and I'm not a practicing Catholic, and yet researching the book was sometimes uncomfortable, even for me. The reactions from religious readers of the book, the few I've seen, have been mixed: some liked it and found it uplifting, while others understandably thought it was sacrilegious...
BRC: What do you think happened to the Templar treasure? Do you think that the Templars still exist today? Do they have any influence, or are they biding their time?
SB: Who knows? All we do know is that not a piece of their wealth or a scrap of their knowledge was ever found. Remnants of the Templars certainly still exist in Masonic and other organizations who have adopted parts of their ritual. But as to the real thing, that's doubtful. But it wouldn't be great if they were hold up in a Pyrenees abbey waiting and watching.
RK: I would have said I'm pretty sure they're sadly no longer among us, except that after reading Steve's book, I could be wrong --- his present-day Templars are pretty convincing. As for their treasure, the legend of those galleys loaded with Templar treasure and sailing off into the night from La Rochelle is pretty inspiring, and I like to think that what they managed to spirit away is still out there, somewhere, in some desolate windswept place, waiting for some intrepid, stubborn misfit to find it.
BRC: A number of the situations we face today arise from events that took place in the late 13th century. What do each of you think was the most crucial event that occurred at that time, in terms of its influence on our current events?
RK: I'm tempted to say it's the birth of the Mafia in Sicily in 1282, but that's probably not what you had in mind! The 13th century event that sticks in my mind is the Children's Crusade. How insane was that? Fifty thousand boys and girls, the oldest of them no more than 12, marching off to liberate the holy land from the heathens. Less than 200 made it back, which is a higher number than I would have expected. Have we moved on that much since then? I'm not so sure... I suppose the fall of Jerusalem was the most crucial, in that it affected the subsequent history of an area that had been turbulent and hotly contested before, and remains so today. Had it remained under Crusader control, the development of religion in the area undoubtedly would have been affected --- for better or for worse --- and I suspect it would have had a huge influence on the state of the world today.
SB: Tough to say. That was a pivotal century in many ways. I think Barbara Tuchman answered this question best in her excellent work, A DISTANT MIRROR. Though she deals with the 14th century, readers should check out her work and learn exactly how that time is so reflective of now.
BRC: Both of you write novels that require a vast amount of research. Would either of you care to comment on the outcome of Dan Brown's trial in England? If the verdict had not been in Brown's favor, how could that have affected the historical fiction genre?
SB: There was never any doubt in my mind what that verdict would be. That lawsuit had no merit from the start. Zero. Now, as to generating worldwide publicity for both the plaintiff's and the defendant's books ---- on that count, the whole endeavor was a resounding success. You have to wonder if that was the plaintiff's motive from the start. Certainly Dan did not require any more publicity.
RK: I agree with Steve: I didn't doubt the outcome either, though in this age of spin, you can't help but be cynical about the timing of it all. I mean, Dan Brown acknowledged their book in the actual narrative of his own book! And that book was based on conjecture that had been common knowledge in France for years. Historical fiction is based on research --- it's the real fun part of writing books like these; each story becomes a journey of discovery for the author too. It's either that, or we have to turn into historian-slash-novelists, which would mean bringing out a novel every ten years...
BRC: What are the most challenging aspects of writing a book that is set both in the present and in the past?
RK: Doing the research to get the period details right (which isn't easy when writing about things that happened over 700 years ago, trust me --- there isn't even a definitive description of the Templars' flag, to say nothing about their ships!), and to a lesser extent, getting the right balance. Finding this balance was a discovery process for me, really, as it only came together during the writing; it wasn't planned that way. The parts of the story set in the past were initially just a series of brief flashbacks. As I got deeper and deeper into the book, I found myself wanting to know more about what happened to Martin and his gang, and ultimately those chapters grew.
SB: Weaving those two together and getting it right --- that's always tough --- while at the same time, remembering it's a novel and the primary mission is to entertain. Lots of balloons to hold under the water at the same time.
BRC: What are you working on now and when can readers expect to see it?
SB: Another Cotton Malone adventure coming in February 2007. There will be two more after that in 2008 and 2009. Hope folks like him.
RK: A new novel, which will come out sometime in 2007. Different characters, different issues, different worlds, but still with a mix of history and present day, and --- with a bit of luck --- a decent read.
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INTERVIEW
 February 24, 2006
Bookreporter.com's Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Team (Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub and Wiley Saichek) interviewed Steve Berry, author of THE AMBER ROOM, THE ROMANOV PROPHECY, THE THIRD SECRET, and the newly released TTHE TEMPLAR LEGACY. Berry discusses how he conceived the Cotton Malone series as a new challenge for himself and speculates on reasons behind readers' renewed interest in the Middle Ages. He also shares fascinating and little-known tidbits about the Knights Templar that he discovered through his research and explains how he divides his time between penning novels and practicing law.
Bookreporter.com: You have stated that the "spark" for THE TEMPLAR LEGACY occurred after you read a quote about Christ attributed to Pope Leo X. Were you working on another book when you came across this quote, or just doing general research? How many times have you found a tidbit like this quote that gave you a plot idea? Do you keep a list of historical periods you would like to explore?
Steve Berry: I was working on THE THIRD SECRET when I came across the quotation, which intrigued me. Here was the pope himself making a rather damaging statement about the very religion he oversaw. However, after learning more about Pope Leo X, who many regard as one of the most corrupt, his remarkable comment is entirely understandable. Statements like this inspire me all the time. The epigraph page in my books is always thought through and changes many times during the writing of a manuscript. I try to find just the right mix of quotes to convey the essence of the book. As to the historical periods I'd like to explore, I don't discriminate and try to bounce around to all periods both before and after the birth of Christ.
BRC: The basis for the plot in THE TEMPLAR LEGACY revolves, in part, around an obscure book published in the nineteenth century, PIERRES GRAVEES DU LANGUEDOC by Eugene Stublein. Does such a work actually exist? If so, how did you happen to learn of it? And does it actually have a link with the Knights Templar?
SB: There's a great debate on that one. Many say the book exists, yet no copy has ever been seen. The one supposedly on file in the Bibliothèque Nationale, the French national library, is gone. The book has long been a part of Renne-le-Château's lore so I thought it only appropriate to include it, especially since Cotton Malone loves books.
BRC: There seems to be a renewed interest in the Middle Ages and the Knights Templar in particular. Why do you think this is occurring?
SB: It's a fascinating time in human history. It was our coming of age, a point when we started to fashion what would become modern western civilization. Of course, Hollywood and fiction have helped spur a more romantic image. Reality was far different. It was a harsh, brutal society with strict rules and extreme penalties. Much of the period's beliefs were fueled by ignorance and arrogance, yet there was an innocence too, one we like to recall with a calculated amount of affection. I love the Middle Ages. Makes for some great fiction.
BRC: What was the most fascinating fact you learned about the Order as you were conducting research? What books do you recommend for someone who may be starting out to study the Knights Templar?
SB: That they never bathed. Rule forbid it. Can you imagine? Fighting in the Holy Land in hundred-degree heat, wrapped in chain mail and armor, and never bathing. In addition, they slept dressed, both to resist temptation and to be ready for battle. As to the books to read on the Templars, I scoured about 200 sources. The trouble with the various accounts is that they all differ. A good example of this is the head of the Order --- one book says the grand master, another says only master. That label seesawed back and forth between each book. So who knows? I would recommend anyone interested in the subject either buy or check out from the library several books and peruse them all carefully.
BRC: THE TEMPLAR LEGACY opens with a graphic torture scene. As a novelist, how do you decide how much "gore" to include, or where to leave things out? Was the prologue/torture scene a historical account or was it fictitious?
SB: You certainly want to start a thriller as visually as possible. This scene with Jacques de Molay is fictional, but it could well have occurred. That's exactly the premise of Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas's SECOND MESSIAH, which is where the idea for that scene (and a latter part of the novel) came from. I invite everyone to read that book.
BRC: THE TEMPLAR LEGACY introduces Cotton Malone, a former U.S. Justice Department covert-op, who, we understand, is going to be an ongoing character in at least three of your forthcoming novels. What made you decide to tackle a series after publishing three stand-alone works? What challenges and surprises have you faced as you make the transition from writing stand-alone novels to writing novels with a recurring character?
SB: Cotton will return in 2007, 2008, and 2009. I wanted to write a series simply as a new challenge and conceived several adventures for Cotton when he was "born" while I was visiting Copenhagen. I was sitting at a café in Højbro Plads, a popular Danish square, when he came to mind. I love that city and that square, so I decided Cotton would own a bookshop right there. I wanted a character with U.S. government ties and a background that made him a formidable opponent. Since I personally love rare books, it was natural that Cotton would too, so he became a Justice Department-operative-turned-bookseller who manages, from time to time, to find himself immersed in trouble. I also gave him an eidetic memory, since who wouldn't like one of those? At the same time, Cotton is clearly a man in conflict. His marriage has failed, he maintains a difficult relationship with his teenage son, and he's tired of the risks that seem to follow him even in retirement.
BRC: What, or who, was your inspiration for Cotton Malone? Is he modeled after anyone in particular? And does his biography share anything in common with yours?
SB: I will have to say that Cotton is the first character I have ever created who possesses some of my traits. But I'd like to have some of his, as well. Personally, I'd love to own an old bookshop in Copenhagen.
BRC: Will Cotton Malone in future novels continue to deal with situations involving elements of antiquity, or will he be concerned with problems that are more contemporary in origin?
SB: There will always be something from the past, relevant to something in the present, that Cotton will have to deal with. I like that connection. David Morrell and Clive Cussler are masters at this, and I'm a huge fan of both.
BRC: One of the characters asks Cotton about the significance of his name. Cotton often "grins it off," saying it's a story for later, etc. Will you shed light on the story behind his name now, or do we readers have to wait until later too?
SB: There is a story there, but that will always remain a mystery. Secrets can be a lot of fun.
BRC: Do you currently plan to concentrate exclusively on Cotton Malone? Do you have any stand-alone novels planned for the immediate future? And do you have any other character-based series planned?
SB: Cotton Malone will occupy my brain for the next three years. I'm writing his 2007 adventure right now and plotting his 2008 foray. Haven't thought about 2009 yet, but it'll come. After that, we'll see where things head.
BRC: Who was your inspiration for Stephanie Nelle? Does a department/division like the Magellan Billet actually exist?
SB: Stephanie is wholly fictional, though her name is a combination of mine (in the feminine form) with my younger daughter's middle name. I wanted a strong female character to head the Magellan Billet, so I invented her. To my knowledge, no such division exists within Justice.
BRC: Though he did not have a major role in THE TEMPLAR LEGACY, we are intrigued with the relationship between Cotton and his son. What kind of role will Gary have in your upcoming Cotton Malone novels?
SB: A surprise about their relationship will be revealed in the 2007 novel, and Gary will play a large role in that story. Cotton's relationship with Gary is complicated, and those complications will figure into the next three books.
BRC: What about your intriguing supporting characters --- like Stephanie, Cassiopia and Henrik? Have readers seen the last of them or will they return?
SB: Not at all. They will all have key roles in the forthcoming books as their characters are developed and explored. Individually, they're each interesting, but together they're quite formidable.
BRC: One of the more intriguing aspects of THE TEMPLAR LEGACY is your descriptions of such places as Rennes-Le-Chateau, places more usually associated with tourism as opposed to intrigue. Will future novels featuring Malone continue to utilize exotic locales as backdrops, or will he be returning to his former home in the United States at any point in the future?
SB: I'm a fan of international suspense thrillers that, by definition, have international locales. So Cotton's passport will acquire many more entry stamps. I do have an idea for a domestic adventure for him (that involves his dead father and what may have really happened), but we'll just have to see if that becomes possible.
BRC: Are you still practicing law? If so, how do you divide the time you spend on legal work with your writing?
SB: I still work everyday. My time is roughly divided half and half, though I have four employees at the law office who tote most of the load. I write in the mornings, early, from 6:30 a.m. to around 9, then it's time to tend to clients.
BRC: When can we expect the next book?
SB: Sometime in the spring of 2007, another Cotton Malone adventure tentatively titled THE ALEXANDRIA LINK.
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INTERVIEW
 May 20, 2005
Bookreporter.com's Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Team (Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub and Wiley Saichek) interviewed Steve Berry, author of THE THIRD SECRET. Berry addresses the coincidence of events surrounding the publication of his latest novel and how he hopes the public will react to the book, especially considering the recent death of Pope John Paul II and the election of a new pontiff. He describes his fascination for writing about the "greater mysteries" of world history, explains how he conducts research for his novels (which is an ongoing process), and shares with readers details about his future projects.
Bookreporter.com: We were struck by the coincidence of events surrounding the publication of THE THIRD SECRET. The book was written in 1998, received numerous rejections and ultimately was purchased in 2003. The publication date of May 2005 was scheduled in 2004. As it releases, there is a new Pope --- Pope Benedict XVI --- who, like Pope Clement XV in THE THIRD SECRET, is German. Lucia dos Santos, the last of the shepherd girls at Fatima, passed away a few months ago. The last Pope Benedict commissioned the investigation of the appearances of Our Lady of Fatima, which THE THIRD SECRET explores. There are reports of appearances of images of the Blessed Mother on surfaces such as the sides of tunnels in various areas of the world. These occurrences were not foreseen when THE THIRD SECRET was scheduled for publication. Have you considered the possibility --- even for a moment --- that the timing of all this might be divinely inspired?
Steve Berry: You never know, maybe. Benedict XVI is now pope. In THE THIRD SECRET my pope is named Clement XV. Both men are German, in their seventies, a product of the Vatican (having held high office in the curia), elected quickly after a long pontificate as a transitional pope, who face monumental issues of great importance to the Church. Also, all of the hot button issues that have been widely discussed over the past few weeks concerning the Church in the modern world, and the challenges the new pope will face, are in THE THIRD SECRET, along with a shocking revelation that literally changes everything. It's certainly interesting, the similarities, particularly since the idea for THE THIRD SECRET was conceived six years ago and, as you noted, the manuscript was submitted to Ballantine Books over a year ago. But as like politics, in publishing timing is everything too. I have another theory, though. I dedicated this book to a favorite aunt who died in 1992. She thought of me as her son and would have been so proud of all this. She's surely watching and smiling, so maybe the thanks goes to her.
BRC: Was there specific inspiration for the characters of Colin Michener and Katerina?
SB: Not the characters per se, but Colin's last name was inspired by my favorite writer, James Michener. HAWAII was the first adult novel I ever read (when I was 15) and the story enthralled me. I became a great fan and have a nearly complete first edition collection of Michener's works. Michener had just died when I started plotting THE THIRD SECRET in the late 1990s, so I named the character after him in tribute.
BRC: What inspired Romania as one of the settings for THE THIRD SECRET?
SB: I've always been fascinated by the place. Lots of mystery associated with its history and culture. So when I was deciding on locales, that one seemed a natural.
BRC: We were impressed with your knowledge and understanding of church history, which runs deeply throughout THE THIRD SECRET. You mention in another interview that you were raised as a Catholic and attended Catholic school. Did you ever study for the priesthood, or consider a religious vocation?
SB: My mother says that when I was 7 or 8 I'd often say that I wanted to be a priest, but I don't recall. I did attend Catholic school and learned my catechism. Ever since, I've possessed a life-long interest in the Catholic Church and have become a student of the institution.
BRC: Are you a practicing Catholic at this time?
SB: Not much any more.
BRC: Are you concerned about public reaction to THE THIRD SECRET, especially with the recent death of Pope John Paul II and the election of a new pope?
SB: Hopefully, readers will remember that this is a novel and the primary goal of a novel is to entertain. The plot is from my imagination. I just want the reader to enjoy themselves for a few hours and, if the plot gets them thinking and talking, then so much the better.
BRC: Given the conservative nature of the Church, were you pushing the envelope a bit with your news about the four parts of the secret? Were you editorializing your own wishes?
SB: Not at all. My Clement, like the current Benedict XVI, was supposed to be a transitional pope, an older man placed on the throne of St. Peter simply to keep the chair warm until one of the younger cardinals could muster enough votes to get himself elected. But, like John XXIII, who was also supposed to be a caretaker pope, Clement starts to change everything, and this brings out opponents, especially Cardinal Valendrea, who detests anything that varies from the established order. This very conflict exists within the Church today. Liberals and conservatives are battling for control and that theological war is graphically illustrated in this novel, with an added twist from a surprising third player, which makes the conflict that much more interesting. I've always been intrigued by the line that separates religion and faith. There's a distinct difference between those two concepts and this book explores that distinction.
BRC: Was THE THIRD SECRET originally rejected for being too controversial, or what were reasons given?
SB: I wish I could say that it was --- sounds so cutting edge --- but unfortunately it was simply rejected with little or no reasons given. I think the best explanation was that its time had not come yet. I'm just glad the manuscript was given a second chance.
BRC: What sparked your initial interest in history? A common complaint among students is that history is "boring." What made this interesting for you?
SB: Shakespeare said what's past is prologue. And he's right. I've always loved stories that take something real from the past and weave its importance into modern day. Fiction is a good vehicle for that melding since liberties can then be taken that make for a more interesting story. Done right, that "boring" stuff, as you noted, can become quite exciting. In my first book, THE AMBER ROOM, World War II, stolen Nazi art, and amber took center stage. For THE ROMANOV PROPHECY it was Russia and the Tsars, along with Rasputin and Faberge. In THE THIRD SECRET Marian visions, the Catholic Church, and religion.
BRC: What draws you to write about the "greater mysteries," the unsolved, unanswered questions of our common world history, which you have explored in all of your work?
SB: That concept of something "lost" fascinates me. The quest in finding it is equally compelling. I've always loved treasure hunts. While traveling abroad I have come across many marvelous bits of information, historical tidbits I knew nothing about. Luckily, I've been able to explore those "greater mysteries" in my first three books, and I plan to continue that in the future.
BRC: Did you travel to Rome or Romania during your research for THE THIRD SECRET? Do you conduct research prior to writing or do you continue researching as you write your novels?
SB: I visited Rome and Germany while researching this book. I didn't make it to Romania or Bosnia, but I'd love to go to both places. I usually spend about three months doing my initial research and formulating the plot. As I write, which takes about a year, I continue to research, both adding to and taking away from the story. It's an ongoing process, even up to that last day when I finally turn the manuscript in to the publisher. I love to tinker.
BRC: You have mentioned in your acknowledgments and website about your experience with writing groups and workshops. What advice do you have for aspiring authors who may be seeking out a group/workshop to join?
SB: Find a good writers group and join it. There's nothing better for honing the craft of writing than solid criticisms from others who are going through the same turmoil as you. I went once a week for six years and would have never been published but for that experience. Finding the right group, though, is the trick. Experiment, shop around, until you find a mix of personality that best suits you. While a good group is beyond value, a bad one can be devastating. But don't quit simply because of a bad group. Just find another one.
BRC: You currently practice law as well as write. Do you see yourself continuing this?
SB: The goal is to be able to write full time, but realistically few writers are afforded that privilege. Maybe in a few years that will be possible, but until then I'll continue to write every morning (from around 6:30 to 9), then tend to my clients' business for the rest of the day. I'm also a member of the Camden County Board of Commissioners, so I look after the good people of District 3 too.
BRC: What can you share with readers about your upcoming books? We hear that they will include an ongoing character.
SB: The 2006 book is finished. It's another contemporary thriller that will deal with the Knights Templar and a tiny village in southern France that has a great mystery associated with it. The characters introduced in that novel will return for three more adventures in 2007, 2008, and 2009. I'm having a great time creating these and I hope readers will enjoy them too.
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PAST INTERVIEW
 August 31, 2004
Joe Hartlaub and Wiley Saichek of Bookreporter.com interviewed Steve Berry, author of THE ROMANOV PROPHECY. Berry explains the difficulty of accurately depicting the historical aspects of the book, as many versions of the Romanovs' story are contradictory and inconsistent. He also talks about breaking stereotypes with his main character --- an African-American lawyer from the deep south who is fluent in the Russian language and well-versed in the culture --- and the importance of pacing in a thriller.
BRC: Your first published novel, THE AMBER ROOM, and your new novel, THE ROMANOV PROPHECY, reveal a deep interest in Russian history and culture. THE ROMANOV PROPHECY, in particular, delves deeply into the nuances of Russian culture. What initially sparked your interest in Russia? Did you spend a lot of time in Russia researching your novels? Did you visit other countries while doing research for these novels?
Steve Berry: Russia has always interested me. Of course, writing THE AMBER ROOM whet my appetite, but I fully satisfied the craving when I wrote THE ROMANOV PROPHECY. I enjoyed the research on this subject, which took about 8 months, reading many primary and secondary sources on what may or may not have happened to the Romanovs. For the past 16 years my wife and I have regularly traveled to Europe, and those trips provided the spark for all of my novels --- THE ROMANOV PROPHECY particularly since the idea came to me during a tour of the Kremlin.
BRC: You contrast the differences in Russia before and after the collapse of Communism and the Soviet Union. What are the most significant differences?
SB: The differences are infinite. Some are good, others bad. There is a Russian joke: Yeltsin and Putin managed in 14 years to do what the communists could not do in 70 years --- make the people long for communism. Times are definitely tough in Russia. There are immense growing pains and the Russians do not take well to democracy. It's a land and people that have been dominated for over a thousand years. The Slavic mind is far more accustomed to trusting, rather than distrusting, its government, and democracy only works when the people distrust their government. Russia, though, is clearly on the right path --- no question about it.
BRC: What sparked your interest in the Nicholas II and Alexandra story in particular?
SB: Who wouldn't be fascinated by their sad tale? It's a true love story laced with brutal politics, deep intrigue, massive deception, and gruesome murder. Hard to resist all those.
BRC: What is the most challenging aspect of writing a novel against a historical background?
SB: Getting the facts right, and that was tough here. There are so many inconsistent versions of what happened that culling out the embellishments and finding some version of reality was a true challenge. I think it's important that the reader, even in a novel (which, by definition, is imaginary), receives accurate information. That's why I include a Writer's Note to distinguish fact from fiction.
BRC: THE ROMANOV PROPHECY is a fish-out-of-water story in the sense that you have Miles Lord as a very visible protagonist --- a black man in a Caucasian country --- who is running for his life from pursuers who have the ability to be everywhere at once. One of the many intriguing components of Lord's personality is his almost lifelong interest in the history of Russia, a passion that by turns helps him and endangers him in THE ROMANOV PROPHECY. Did you infuse Lord with aspects of your own personality and interests? What made you decide to make his character black?
SB: While visiting Russia I noticed that there were precious few dark faces. By and large, Russia is a fair-skinned country. By making Miles a man of color his dilemma was greatly multiplied since, not only were men intent on killing him, but he now possessed precious few places in which to hide. I also like to break stereotypes. Here we have a lawyer specializing in international law --- an African-American from the deep south, the son of an evangelical preacher, who is schooled in Russian history and speaks the Russian language --- who finds himself thrust to the forefront of something extraordinary. And he rises to the challenge. Any of me inside Miles? Hardly. I only wish I was more like him.
BRC: THE ROMANOV PROPHECY centers on the restoration of the tsar as the leader of Russia, and the selection process by which the tsar will be chosen from the descendants of Nicholas II, the last tsar. Is there presently any political movement anywhere proposing to bring back the tsar?
SB: The All-Russian Monarchist Assembly referred to in the book is an actual Russian organization dedicated to not only Tsarist remembrance, but a Romanov restoration. No one gives the movement much of a chance, but that was the same thing said decades ago about the demise of communism. So, anything is possible.
BRC: THE ROMANOV PROPHECY immediately pulls the reader in, and you maintain the pacing through the story. How difficult is it to achieve effective pacing in a novel --- which is doubly important in a thriller?
SB: This is the most difficult thing for a suspense novelist to achieve and its success is measured on an individual basis. Hard to please everyone. I think THE ROMANOV PROPHECY has a much better pace than THE AMBER ROOM, which is attributable to what was learned during the writing and editing of THE AMBER ROOM. Pacing is everything to a thriller. Remember, the number one objective is to entertain. If you can inform the reader at the same time --- super --- but keeping pages turning is the top priority.
BRC: What was the most interesting fact that you learned during research for the book?
SB: I never knew the royal family's bodies were retrieved from the mine shaft the day after they were thrown down. Can you imagine? Pulling those corpses back out of that hole in the ground and driving them around the countryside, only to finally bury them in the middle of the roadway. Also, the princess trees found in western North Carolina were new to me. I've seen the trees there many times, but never realized precisely what they were. I also knew nothing about Borzois prior to writing this book. They seem like an impressive animal, which was why I made one an intricate part of the story. Of course, Rasputin and his antics were fascinating, as were the wonders of Fabergé.
BRC: You are becoming a household name on the strength of two novels. Do you feel any pressure as a result of your success?
SB: I'm not sure about the household name stuff, but it would be gratifying to be appreciated by thriller readers. Certainly, the bar is rising with each book. I have at least two more coming from Ballantine, both of which will raise that bar even more. But I've been working at this for 14 years now, so I'm ready for the challenge. My hope is that readers like what they see.
BRC: Do you still actively practice law?
SB: Everyday. There's a rule at the office. The writing and the books are great, but clients come first. The goal is to one day write full time but, for now, I'm in court 2-3 days every week and seeing clients the rest of the time. I write in the mornings, between 7 - 9 a.m. That's when I do my 500 words. Keep that up and 10 months later you have a book. The trick is to do it every day.
BRC: Have any writers been a major personal and/or professional influence upon you?
SB: My all time favorite writer is James Michener. I loved his prose. Unfortunately, his narrative style will not work for a thriller writer in 2004. But I still love him. In the thriller genre, I learned much from David Morrell's books. He provided a wonderful quote that appears on THE ROMANOV PROPHECY's cover. That was a real thrill. Also, Sharon Kay Penman is a superb writer and her quote on the cover was a double thrill for me. Others I read with regularity are Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, James Rollins, Ken Follett, David Poyer, John Case, Allan Folsom, Stephen Frey, Robert Ludlum, Daniel Easterman, Frederick Forsyth, Jack DuBrul, and Nelson DeMille.
BRC: What are you working on now and when can readers expect to see it?
SB: The next one is THE THIRD SECRET, which will deal with the third secret of Fatima; it comes in June 2005. I'm presently finishing the 2006 book tentatively titled, THE TEMPLAR LEGACY.
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AUTHOR TALK
 October 2003
In this interview Steve Berry talks about his debut novel, THE AMBER ROOM. He explains the story of the original Amber Room, the details of its recent restoration and the research involved in writing the book, in addition to offering readers news about his next novel due to be published in September 2004.
Q: What is THE AMBER ROOM?
SB: Created in the mid-18th century, many say it was the greatest achievement man ever accomplished with amber. The room was made of thousands of pieces of jewel grade amber, cut to 5 mm thick, polished, sometimes heated to change the color, then glued jigsaw-puzzle-style onto oak panels which were fashioned to three walls 30 x 13 feet. There were also a variety of fanciful figurines, floral garlands, tulips, roses, sea shells, monograms, and rocaille, all of amber in glittering shades of brown, red, yellow, and orange. Incredibly, the amber panels survived 170 years and the Bolshevik Revolution intact, only to be looted by the Nazis in 1941. The panels disappeared in 1945 and have never been seen since. That, in and of itself, is fascinating. Where did such an incredible treasure go?
Q: Can you tell us a little about the current re-creation of the room?
SB: Some 500,000 pieces of jewel-grade amber were used in the restoration of 1,033 square feet of panels. The 32 black and white photos taken in the 1930s served as the blueprint for re-creating the puzzle. It took twenty years and $11.5 million dollars to complete the effort. The final $3.5 million came from Ruhrgas AG, a German conglomerate. Interesting that, in the end, the Germans made the re-creation possible, but the gesture was viewed as a step toward reconciliation between Germany and Russia over World War II. And it didn't hurt that Ruhrgas buys natural gas from Russia for export. The fall of the Soviet Union dealt the restoration a blow since, before, a Soviet mine supplied the amber at little cost. After, the amber had to bought on the open market, and that can cost anywhere from $300 to $1000 per kilogram (2.2 pounds), depending on quality. Compounding the cost, only 20% of the amber bought is of suitable quality. The rest ends up as dust and chips.
Q: Where did you get the idea to use THE AMBER ROOM in a novel?
SB: In 1995, I was listening to a program on the Discovery channel, not watching, only listening from another room. The narrator was talking about THE AMBER ROOM. I caught only the last few minutes of the show, but the idea fascinated me. Unfortunately, not enough information came from the television show for me to even know what THE AMBER ROOM was. I actually, at first, thought it was a painting. All I learned from the little I heard was that it was stolen from the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo and had not been seen since 1945. So I went to the bookstore and thumbed through Russian travel guides until I found a reference. It took several more months of research to formulate the novel's plot.
Q: It seems as if so much research went in to the novel--where did you get your information and how much is fact?
SB: When I wrote the first draft in 1995, there were precious few English version texts which dealt with THE AMBER ROOM. The Internet then contained little info, though today it's full of web sites. I spent time in libraries and worked with what I could find, then traveled to St. Petersburg in 1996 to see the work being done on restoring THE AMBER ROOM. The Russians had been laboring on it for over a decade. After spending two hours with the Chief Restorer I realized a lot of what I had written was wrong. So I re-wrote the book. The remaining history dealing with Hitler, Goring, Nazi plunder, lost art, and the Russians is all true. In fact, most of the information contained within THE AMBER ROOM is taken from fact.
Q: How do you balance the amount of factual information and research that went into the novel with the fast pace of the story?
SB: That's something I work on constantly. There's definitely a feel to it. As Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell once said about obscenity, "I don't know what it is, but I know it when I see it." The same is true about blending information with action. One rule is clear. Action must always come before information. I'm lucky to have an editor who keeps me straight on that.
Q: Is THE AMBER ROOM your first novel?
SB: Actually, it's the fourth novel I've written, but my first one to be published. THE AMBER ROOM was first written in 1995, but it was wholly rewritten in 1996. Later, it was revised, reworked, and modified several times between 1996 and 2002. The version that eventually made it to print is quite different from the original.
Q: What's next for you?
SB: Next is a novel due out from Ballantine Books in September 2004 called THE ROMANOV PROPHECY. It's a contemporary thriller about Russia involving the Romanovs, Fabergé eggs, and Rasputin. I recently spent 10 days in Andorra, the French Pyrenees, and Paris researching a new thriller involving the Knights Templar.
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